A unique experience – master's students' study trip to Vietnam

Published 30 November 2025

Photo of a wooden sculpture with red bunting behind it. — While visiting a wood workshop the students got to try out their skills at the lathe.

Studying at the School of Industrial Design in Lund is not just about theory – it is also about creativity, making contacts and finding new perspectives. Through study visits, exhibitions and – for master's students – international travels, ideas can grow and networks be built. This year, the students went to Vietnam, and Elias Näsström Nyquist and Erik Skans Mächs share their experiences and insights.

Photo collage of one picture of a man standing beside a large man-size vase and one picture showing two men working on the ceramics wheel. — Elias Näsström Nyquist and Erik Skans Mächs in Vietnam.

Travel story by Elias Näsström Nyquist

The trip to Vietnam was both rewarding and inspiring. I participated in the ceramics group (just like Erik), which meant that we spent most of our time in Bát Tràng outside Hanoi – an area with a long tradition of ceramic craftsmanship.

During the week, we visited several different producers, and I got to work with a skilled decorator to create vases with motifs inspired by my tattoos and the graffiti I saw around Vietnam.

Another memorable meeting was with the potter Mr. Đại, where I got to present a series of vases that will now be made and decorated with their beautiful hand-painted designs. We also got to see how they work and try our hand at pottery.

Through a former student, we also got in touch with Mr. Việt, who runs a woodworking shop. There we were welcomed with open arms, got to see how they work and also create our own wooden creations on their lathe.

The trip ended in Ho Chi Minh City, where the whole class exhibited our projects at the LifeStyle Vietnam craft fair. The exhibition was very successful and gave us the opportunity to share our experiences and encounters from Hanoi with visitors, designers and producers.

Travel story by Erik Skans Mächs

For me, the trip to Vietnam was a unique experience. Not only because I got to experience a culture that was completely new to me, but also because the school's contacts gave me a first-hand insight into Vietnamese craftsmanship and design.

I also had the opportunity to establish contacts with local producers and gain a clear insight into how producers and designers work together to develop a product. This was an incredibly important experience for my future working life.

The social aspect – both with the classmates and with new contacts in Vietnam – was of great importance. Travelling in a group for an extended period of time and working together to get as much out of the trip as possible was not only educational but also important for the unity of the class. I would say that this trip has been defining for the master's programme.